cichlid not showing color

**meldawgal** · 08-31-2009, 08:49 AM

Hi there, I am new to this site and have been keeping cichlids for only 6 months now. I am wondering why my F1 metriaclima fainzilberi 'red top' from galireya reef is not not showing the colors that were advertised when I bought him as a juvenile. He is now almost 4 inches long and therefore pretty much an adult. I also bought two females of the same species for him. I have a 45 gallon tank that measure 4 feet long, with a 200watt jager heater and two 40 gallon filters. I use seachem malawi buffer and cichlid lake salt to adjust the parameters to the right conditions, and do 25% water changes weekly. can any suggest why I am not getting the colors I want from my red top?

Thanks,

Melissa

**sailor** · 08-31-2009, 11:38 AM

Are there any other species of fish in the tank. If so maybe there is a fish in there that is stressing him out. I had the same problem in my 90 gal. I took out my alpha male chilumba as he was not letting any other fish breed. I thought I had just female chilumba and fry along with a few large male and femalw peacocks. I moved the biggest peacock to another tank and what had been swimming around appearing as a female chilumba coloured up and was indeed a male. So maybe stress is the problem here.

**Wiggs** · 08-31-2009, 02:01 PM

There could be a bunch of reasons or stressers that could cause a lose in color.

What are you feeding him, and how often?

What's the temp at?

Water Parameters?

Any signs of aggression?

Tank Laid out with hiding places?

**Northernguy** · 08-31-2009, 03:16 PM

Welcome to the Fabulous AC!
Can you post a pic of the tank?
As mentioned the other fish in the tank may have a lot to do with it,
Your perameters may also have something to do with it.
Do you have a test kit for your tank?